A Critical Analysis of Power-Sharing Arrangements in Deeply Divided Societies: The Case of Iraq.
Hawkar Mohealddin
hawkar.mohealddin@uniq.edu.iq
Abstract:
The Iraqi society following the regime change in 2003 opened a new page of political circumstance for every group of the country, because during Saddam regime only Sunnis had power and marginalized the others. Iraq is a deeply divided society, therefore the new Iraqi system adopted power-sharing and consociational democracy, and this system with new constitution gave guarantee for the Shiite, Sunni, Kurds and the other religious and ethnic groups. This dissertation analyzes the status of power-sharing and observes the implementation of the four main pillars, which are grand coalition, segmental autonomy, proportionality and minority veto, that is framed in the consociational theoretical framework as developed by Arend Lijphart. This research will be conducted Through demonstrating the arguments of the academic experts and practical situation of power-sharing in the Iraqi society. The Primary argument advanced throughout is that the political system of Iraq struggles for genuine constitutional grand coalition system, and minority veto rights, while regarding Autonomy and proportionality the status of the country is seen progressed. [this concluding line does not derive from your primary argument and I suggest you delete it] therefore, the political system is seen as a mixture of consociational and majoritarian principals. At the end of concluding remarks of this paper, its recommended for more study on the problems of Iraqi power-sharing regarding the minority veto and grand coalition, and more efforts needed by the political elites to implement a good example of the power-sharing for the stability and democratization process of Iraqi society
